Device for saving the crew of sunken vessels, especially submarines



Feb. 9, 1932. s. HESNIG, SR

' DEVICE FOR SAVING THE CREW OF SUNKEN VESSELS, ESPECIALLY SUBMARINES Filed June 13. 1931 I all I lllllllv ll l ll fizwizfar.

Patented Feb. 9,1932 7 if p v i 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE srErAN Home, $3., on nEIcHs'rEIn, NEAR KoNIGsTEIN-ON-rnE-ELBE, GERMANY :oEvIcE FOR SAVING THE oEEw or SUNKEN vEssEns, ESPECIALLY sUBMAnrnns Application filed June 13, 1931, Serial No. 544,174, and in Germany Ma 7, 1931.

This invention relates to a device adapted that, owing to the whirl-pool formation, it to be built into vessels and which enables the is only possible in exceptional cases to keep crew to leave the interior ofv the vessel, when hold on the raft. same has sunk or. lies below the surface of An embodiment of the invention is illusthe water. trated by way of example in the accompany- Although the device is designed chiefly ing drawings in which: i V for submarines it can be used in a similar Fig. 1 shows the device in longitudinal secmanner for other vessels, but in this instance tion, i it must be connected to a special relatively Fig. 2 being a cross section of Fig. 1. 3o large watertight compartment. The device consists of a hollow ball of steel In such a device particular attention must composed of two parts. Each part has the be devoted to the enormous pressure exerted shapeof a ball section, which is greater than at all points by the water and which does not a hemisphere. The two sections engage the allow to open portholes and the like. one in the other. Their contacting surfaces w, Th d i ording to the invention is are mutually ground in, so that they are ab- 5 constructed in the shape of a hollow ball, solutely watertight. The steel ball lies half composed of two parts. The two parts repabove the deck the other half projecting resent ball sections, which are larger than below the deck into the interior of the vessel. hemispheres and engage a certain distance The lower portion 1 is stationary and an- I the one in the other. The middle contacting 'chored on the deck 1 by means of bearingm;

surfaces are mutually ground in and conse hoods 2 and flanges 3. quently absolutely watertight. In the portion 1 flaps 5 with valves 6 are Hollow cylinders can be introduced into provided, adapted to be swung outwards on this hollow ball through hing-ed flaps prohinges 7 At the height of the deck 4 two opvided in the lower half of the balls, said cylpositely situated shafts 8 are journaled in the inders serving for accommodating persons part 1 each joining with a'square the hood and being preferably arranged for storing bearing 9 of the upper portion 10. provisions, drinking water and possibly also The shafts 8 run in ball bearings. The medicaments. After closing. the flaps and second bearings 11 are situated in the deck swinging out the upper ball portion, these cyland on columns 12, which are further reininders rise automatically to the surface of the forced by transverse arms 13 on the lower ball water, owing to the strong buoyancy and can portion 1. The swinging out of the upper drift on the surface of the water until help portion 10 or the driving of the shaft 8 is efarrives. fected on one or both sides by toothed wheels As compared with the known rafts or air 14;, mounted on the shafts through the intercompartments, let into the deck, which automediary of double chain wheels 16, 17, keyed matically become loose from their fastenings on shaft 15, connected to driving chain wheels on the sinking of the vessel, the new device is 19, provided with cranks 18. The wheel 14 characterized in'that, after rising of one cylis connected to the wheel 16 and the wheel 17 inder, further cylinders ,can'be released in a to the wheel 19 by chains 20. A. cylindrical 35 similar manner, even whenthe vessel lies on container 21 is inserted in the ball and held the bottom of the sea, whereas the above menby two bars 22. A manhole 23,is provided in tioned arrangements can only be employed the bottom of the cylinder and a slide 25 for saving life during the sinking of the with a porthole 24 in the side wall of the cylv ship. Rafts also possess the disadvantage inder.

The device is used in the following manner:-

The upper portion 10 of the ball is first closed and a cylinder 21 inserted. When the vessel has sunk, the flaps 5 and the manhole 23 are opened so that it is possible to enter the cylinder through the latter. The manhole 23 and the flaps 5 are then again closed and the upper portion 10 turned into the lower portion 1 by means of t ie cranks 18 through the intermediary of the shafts 8. Thus the ball is'opened, water flows into the same and the cylinder 21 can rise freely by buoyancy and continue to float on the surface like a buoy. The upper portion is then turned back so that the ball is again closed. The water in. the ball is pumped out through the valve 6 by means of a screwed on hose pipe and the flaps 5 are again opened. A second cylinderv 21 of the same construction as the first is then inserted in the ball. The rising of the cylinder is effected in a similar manner to that of the first cylinder.

In the case of the last two or three men of the crew the operation is slightly difierent in that the closing of the flaps 5 must be effected in the interior of the cylinder. This is carried out through the manhole 23. Moreover two holes adapted tobe closed by slides 26 may be provided in the last cylinder 21. A crank 27 is 'itted on each of the shafts 15 through these holes and slots in the upper part 10, by means of which cranks the opening of the upper portion 10 can be effected from the interior ofthe cylinder 21.

I claim 1. A device for saving the crew of sunken vessels especially submarines, comprising in combination a hollow ball inserted to half its height in the deck of the vessel and com posed of two ball sections each larger than a hemisphere, the lower section being rigidly fixed on the deck, ground portion on the'edges of said sections engaging one in the other flaps provided on said lower section, shafts supporting said upper section, and means for turning said upper section into said lower section on to said shafts.

2. A device as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination with the shafts, a

va chain gearing in the interior of the vessel for driving said shafts, and cranks for operating said chain gearing.

3. A device as specified in claim 1 comprising in combination with the flaps, valves on said flaps for pumping out water from the interior of the ball.

A device as specified in claim 1, comprising incombination with the hollow ball, cylinders adapted to be inserted in said balls, each cylinder having a manhole in the bottom plate, means for closing said manhole, and a slide with porthole on the end of each cylinder.

5. A device as specified in claim 1, com- STEFAN Home, sR. 

